By Rob Sharp, in Gaza
Monday, 10 November 2008
The Independent
".....The delegation, which also included peers Lord Nazir Ahmed and Baroness Jenny Tonge, as well as members of the Scottish, Welsh and Irish parliaments, made the journey after being refused entry to Gaza through Egypt last month. The trip, which was billed as a fact-finding mission, included a private meeting with Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Islamist movement Hamas, which was democratically elected as part of a coalition government in 2006. The group took control of the Strip by force in June last year. Israel classifies Hamas as a terrorist organisation and imposed its blockade after it gained power.
Speaking on Saturday to members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Ms Short said: "Obviously by coming in boats we are all saying the siege is wrong, Israel is wrong and its breach of international law is a collective punishment. The siege is being put upon [Gaza's inhabitants] because the Palestinian people dared to vote for people they wanted to vote for, and that is total Western hypocrisy on the issue of democracy.
"And I want to apologise to [the people] for the position of my government and the European Union regarding their policies towards the siege and not being able to recognise the result of a proper election. I also would like to pay my own respects to all the Palestinian people, but particularly the people on the ground, for the way they have resisted this injustice. I am most interested in hearing from them on how they see the way forward. I think Western policy is in big trouble. It has hit a series of cul-de-sacs, it has big problems. " Neither the British government nor the European Union officially recognise the Hamas-controlled administration........"
Monday, 10 November 2008
The Independent
".....The delegation, which also included peers Lord Nazir Ahmed and Baroness Jenny Tonge, as well as members of the Scottish, Welsh and Irish parliaments, made the journey after being refused entry to Gaza through Egypt last month. The trip, which was billed as a fact-finding mission, included a private meeting with Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Islamist movement Hamas, which was democratically elected as part of a coalition government in 2006. The group took control of the Strip by force in June last year. Israel classifies Hamas as a terrorist organisation and imposed its blockade after it gained power.
Speaking on Saturday to members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Ms Short said: "Obviously by coming in boats we are all saying the siege is wrong, Israel is wrong and its breach of international law is a collective punishment. The siege is being put upon [Gaza's inhabitants] because the Palestinian people dared to vote for people they wanted to vote for, and that is total Western hypocrisy on the issue of democracy.
"And I want to apologise to [the people] for the position of my government and the European Union regarding their policies towards the siege and not being able to recognise the result of a proper election. I also would like to pay my own respects to all the Palestinian people, but particularly the people on the ground, for the way they have resisted this injustice. I am most interested in hearing from them on how they see the way forward. I think Western policy is in big trouble. It has hit a series of cul-de-sacs, it has big problems. " Neither the British government nor the European Union officially recognise the Hamas-controlled administration........"
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